Eye Disorders Resulting from Generalized Disease in Horses

Eye disorders can occur because of diseases affecting other parts of the body. They can occur with inherited, infectious, degenerative, and cancerous disorders. Often, discovering a change in the eyes can help uncover the systemic disorder sooner than if the eyes had not been examined. Diseases affecting the blood vessels or nervous system are likely to produce changes in the eyes. If your horse has a disease that affects both eyes, your veterinarian will often look for diseases in the rest of the body.

In horses, generalized infectious diseases (such as adenovirus, equine influenza, strangles, Rhodococcus equi, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, and salmonellosis) can cause inflammation of the conjunctiva (conjunctivitis Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) The conjunctiva is a thin membrane that lines the inside of the eyelids and extends to the cornea of the eye. It plays a role in the movement of tears and the eye, providing protection for the... read more ) or uvea (uveitis Anterior Uveitis (Iridocyclitis) The uvea (or the uveal tract) is the colored inside lining of the eye consisting of the iris, the ciliary body, and the choroid. The iris is the colored ring around the black pupil. The ciliary... read more ). Parasite infections (for example, onchocerciasis or habronemiasis) can also occur in or around the eyes.